Sorry, Exercise Doesn't Boost Metabolism

State laws making a difference, says study

(NEWSER) - Why do teens in California consume fewer calories a day than young people in other states? It's because they snack less when at school, a new study finds, and they snack less because state laws have curbed the sale of junk food and banned the sale of soda and sugary drinks in schools, reports NPR . California teens ingest 158 fewer calories daily than teens in other states, an amount that can have a big cumulative effect for the better. More»

Strength training provides health benefits that aerobic workouts can't

(NEWSER) - Pumping iron has long been known to improve strength and prevent injury, but evidence increasingly points to a wide range of other benefits, writes Judy Foreman in the Boston Globe. The findings—decreased heart disease and neck pain, improved metabolism and balance—are driving groups such as the American Heart Association to bump weight training to the forefront. More»

(NEWSER) - A landmark study of rhesus monkeys suggests one way to live to a ripe old age in good health: Eat less. A lot less. Monkeys on a strict diet over the past 20 years—as in, a whopping 30% fewer calories than normal—have proven to be a healthier bunch than a control group, with fewer cases of cancer, diabetes, and heart and brain disease, reports the New York Times. More»

(NEWSER) - Scientists have found a potential new tool to help people lose weight—an unusual form of fat found inside the body. A new batch of studies shows that adults have stores of so-called brown fat, which actually burns calories and generates heat, the New York Times reports. Scientists have long known that babies—and rodents—have brown fat, which kicks in during cold weather to keep them warm. But until now, they thought it was lost after infancy. More»

Study finds that restricted eating leads to better memory in older adults

(NEWSER) - It's been shown in rats and monkeys, and now the first human study looking at the effects of calorie restriction on memory also confirms that eating less can improve your brain. A German research team gave 50 older adults a diet with normal nutrients but 30% fewer calories, and found a big spike in memory performance, Scientific American reports. More»